Hospital bed service unit

ABSTRACT

A three-component hospital bed service unit which provides technical facilities such as electrical outlets and lighting to the bed location. The service unit includes a pair of service pylons and a wall-mountable support bracket having a pair of horizontal shelf portions for supporting the pair of pylons. Preferably, the spacing of the shelf portions is adjustable to facilitate receiving different widths of beds therebetween.

United States Patent 1 Damico 1 HOSPITAL BED SERVICE UNIT [75] Inventor: Frank M. Damico, Hull, Wis.

[73] Assignee: Joerns Furniture Company, Stevens Point, Wis.

22 Filed: July 18, 1973 211 Appl. No.: 380,356

[52] US. Cl. 52/28; 52/36; 52/173; 174/70 R; 174/49; 248/224 [51] Int. Cl. A47B 83/00; A61G 7/06; E04F 19/00 [58] Field of Search 52/2729, 36,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 938,768 11/1909 Kenny 52/220 1,097,755 5/1914 Goldsmith... 248/224 1,713,685 5/1929 Austin 248/224 Nov. 25, 1975 1,718,252 6/1929 Putnam 52/220 2,031,718 2/1936 Kress 211/90 2,300,248 10/1942 Elnett 248/235 3,101,486 8/1963 Tiller i 52/35 3,437,214 4/1969 Sainsbury 211/90 3,660,591 5/1972 Schultz et a1. 52/28 Primary Examiner.lames L. Ridgill, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmPrice, I-Ieneveld, I-luizenga & Cooper [57] ABSTRACT A three-component hospital bed service unit which provides technical facilities such as electrical outlets and lighting to the bed location. The service unit in cludes a pair of service pylons'and a wall-mountable support bracket having a pair of horizontal shelf portions for supporting the pair of pylons. Preferably, the spacing of the shelf portions is adjustable to facilitate receiving different widths of beds therebetween.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Shect10f2 3,921,345

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US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet20f2 3,921,345

HOSPITAL BED SERVICE UNIT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a hospital bed service unit.

As hospital medical care facilities have become increasingly sophisticated, it has become desirable and, in fact, in some cases necessary to have a variety of patient service facilities located accessibly to each bed. For example, it is most advantageous to have facilities such as electrical outlets, and individual observation, examination, and other lighting facilities for each individual bed. In some cases, this has been achieved by installing such facilities within the wall at the head of the bed. However, this manner of permanently installing the facilities is not only expensive because of the substantial construction aspects of such installation, but it is also undesirable since the facilities cannot be easily replaced, modified, or improved without additional substantial construction costs. Further, this type of permanent installation eliminates the possibility of rearranging beds in a particular hospital room without incurring substantial construction costs for relocating the facilities.

One approach to locating the necessary medical facilities adjacent to each bed has been to include all of these facilities in a service module which is mounted to the wall at the head of the bed. However, such known modules are large, cumbersome, necessitate a major moving and installation undertaking and also necessitate a substantial undertaking to dismount the service module when modification or repairs have to be made to the service module. In addition, no modules are known which will accommodate beds of different widths.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a hospital bed service unit for supplying the necessary technical facilities to a hospital bed which is easily installed, which is adjustable to accommodate beds of differing widths, and which is easily removed for repair, modification, or installation of additional facilities. The hospital bed service unit is a three-component unit comprising a pair of service pylons and a 'wallmountable support bracket having a pair of horizontal shelf portions extending outwardly from the wall for supporting each of the pylons on the tops thereof respectively. The pylons contain the necessary technical facilities such as electrical outlets and observation, examination, reading, indirect and nightlight lighting. The pylons rest on the shelf portions of the wall-mountable support bracket and extend upwardly adjacent each side of the bed headboard. The spacing of the horizontal shelf portions of the wall-mountable support bracket are preferably adjustable to accommodate beds of varying widths.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hospital bed service unit of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hospital FIG. 4 is a front, partially cut-away, perspective view of one of the pylons and shelf portions illustrating the connection therebetween;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a portion of the hospital bed service unit support bracket including one horizontal shelf portion;

FIG. 6 is a side, cross-sectional view of the support bracket taken along the plane VIVI of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a top, cross-sectional view of a pylon of the hospital vbed service unit of FIG. 1 taken along the plane VIIVII of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings in more detail, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hospital bed service unit of the present invention which includes a pair of service pylons l0 and 11 which are supported on horizontal shelf portions 31 and 32 of wall-mountable support bracket 30.

Each of the pylons contains a lighting unit 12 which is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,396, entitled LIGHTING ARRANGEMENT, and filed on the same date as thisapplication. Such unit provides examination, reading, and indirect lighting. Also each pylon includes electrical outlets 13a and 13b and an observation light designated by reference numeral 14. Inaddition, each of the pylons are provided with night lights 16 which also function to illuminate the switches and outlets on the front service panels of the pylons.

Theelectrical supply lines can be connected at the rear or top of either of the pylons, whichever location is best suited to the particular hospital room. Interconnecting supply line 20 is provided so that only one pylon need be connected to the external electrical source with the other pylon receiving the necessary electricity via supply line 20.

The internal construction of pylons 10 and 11 is most clearly shown in FIG. 3 wherein the decorative panels, bracketbumpers and service facilities have been removed. As shown, each of the pylons has a steel frame construction which includes a vertical back wall 51 and a vertical front channel member 52, with channel member 52 and back wall 51 being connected at the top by horizontal bars53 and at the bottom by bottom plate 54 which has opening 57 receiving the electrical conduit 20. Depending flanges 50 (FIG. 4) depend from the sides of each of the bottom plates 54 for purposes as will be discussed below.

Although the pylons will be securely supported vertically solely by wall brackets 30, mounting holes 55 are provided in back plate 51 for securing to the wall by conventional mounting toggle bolts 56 (FIG. 7) or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the metal frame of pylons l0 and 11 are decoratively covered by wood or plastic side panels 60 and front panel 61. Although the front and side panels can be secured to the pylon frame in any conventional manner, a simple and neat attachment is achievable by using a pair of plastic extrusions which encapsulate the front vertical channels 52 of the pylon frames and each of which has a pair of panelreceiving grooves along the front face thereof for receiving decorative front panels 61 by wedging panels 61 within grooves 71. Additionally, a series of snaps, hooks, or screws can be provided along the outer surfac'es'of the nylon frame which mate with corresponding holes on the inside surfaces of panels 60. Finally, a pair of plastic extrusions 72 may be utilized for each pylon for providing a flush fit between the rear end of the decorative panels 60 and the room wall.

The construction of wall-mountable support bracket 30 is most clearly shown in FIG. 2, which is an exploded perspective view of the hospital bed service unit of FIG. 1. Wall-mountable bracket support 30 includes back plate 33 and horizontal shelf portions 31 and 32. Back plate 33 is mounted to the wall through mounting holes 34 in a conventional manner, e.g., by toggle bolts, Back plate 33 includes channel portions 35 for receipt of interconnecting electrical supply lines between pylons and 11, such as supply line (FIG. 6).

Shelf portions 31 and 32 have a generally triangular configuration conforming to the cross-sectional configuration of pylons l0 and 11, respectively, and include perpendicular support member 46a, diagonal support member 47a'and mounting plate 36 on shelf portion 31, and perpendicular support member 46b, diagonal support member 47b and mounting plate 37 on shelf portion 32. The plates 36 and 37 are provided for securing the shelf portions to the back plate 33 and each has a recessed channel portion 38 which confonns to a protruding mounting track 39 on back plate 33. Shelf portions 31 and 32 are mounted to back plate 33 by conventional attachmentmeans, e.g., nuts and bolts, through the sets of holes 40 in the shelf portions and the holes 41 in back plate 33. By providing a plurality of spaced holes 41 in back plate 33, the positions of the mounting of shelf portions 31 and 32 to back plate 33 can be selected at various positions along the plate 33 so that the spacing of the shelf portions is horizontally adjustable to accommodate beds of differing widths.

Vertical flanges 42a and 42b are provided along the top edges of each of the members 460 and 47a of shelf portion 31 and 46b and 47b of shelf portion 32, respectively. These flanges are received between a pair of depending flanges on the underside of the frame of each of pylons 10 and 11. This interfit between the flanges 42 and the flanges 50 is most clearly shown in FIG. 4 and provides a secure seating of pylons l0 and 11 on shelf portions 31 and 32, respectively.

A set of bumper covers are provided for decorative covering wall-mountable support bracket and for providing protection for the service unit when a bed is urged against the head wall between the pylons. The bumpers can be made of rubber, plastic, or other durable and preferably resilient material and include a pair of outer side bumpers 43, a back bumper 44, and a pair of inner-end bumpers 45. Bumpers 43 and 45 can be one piece such as by being solvent welded together. The bumpers can be secured to the wall-mountable brackets by any conventional means. However, when the bumpers are made of a resilient material, it is preferred to size the bumpers so that they can be snugly force fit around the top and bottom of the corresponding top and bottom portions of wall-mountable support bracket 30 so that no additional attachment means are necessary.

FIG. 6 most clearly shows the assembly of back bumper 44 on back plate 33 with interconnecting supply line 20 being received within channel of back plate 33.

The installation of the hospital bed service unit of the present invention in a hospital room is a simple procedure. Since each of the pylons can be moved and han- 'dled individually, the shipping and moving of the hospital bed service unit to the hospital room location is not a cumbersome task. Wall-mountable bracket 30 is easily assembled in the hospital room and mounted to the hospital wall at the desired location. Electrical supply lines are located and provided at the mounting location. The pylons are then each set on the corresponding shelf portions of the wall-mountable bracket, and toggle bolts are installed if used. The external electrical supply lines are then connected to internal supply lines in one of the pylons, e.g., through the top or back of the pylon. The bumpers are then screwed onto the wall bracket and the installation is complete.

Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described and illustrated, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is deemed to be limited only by the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A three-component hospital bed service unit comprising a pair of separate service pylons having electrical and lighting facilities therein; a wall-mountable support bracket, said bracket having an elongated back plate, a pair of horizontal shelf portions extending outwardly at predetermined horizontally spaced positions from said back plate, and means for securing said plate generally horizontally against a wall, said shelf portions having means for supporting and securing said pylons on the tops thereof, each shelf portion supporting one of said pylons from beneath such that each pylon extends vertically upwardly adjacent the wall, said bracket having securing means for supporting and holding said shelf portions and pylons in said predetermined horizontally spaced relationship on said back plate to receive the head of a bed therebetween and generally adjacent said back plate to enable a patient to use said electrical and lighting facilities whereby said back plate can be attached to said wall with said shelf portions secured in said horizontally spaced positions on said back plate, and said pylons thereafter individually set on and secured to said shelf portions.

2. A hospital bed service unit according to claim 1 wherein said back plate includes fastening means at spaced intervals therealong for securing said shelf portions at different horizontal positions along said back plate whereby said horizontal shelf portions are horizontally adjustable to accommodate therebetween at least one bed of different width.

3. A hospital bed service unit according to claim 1 wherein said back plate and shelf portions include protective burnpers on the inner side surfaces thereof for protecting said pylons and said brackets from damage when a bed is urged between said pylons.

4. A hospital bed service unit according to claim 1 wherein said pylons have a generally triangular horizontal cross-section and wherein said shelf portions have a configuration corresponding to said horizontal cross-section of said pylon.

5. A hospital bed service unit according to claim 1 wherein said means for supporting and. securing said pylons on the tops of said shelf portions include upwardly extending vertical flanges on said shelf portions which interfit between corresponding depending flanges on the underside of said pylons to provide a secure seating of said pylons on said shelf portions.

6. A three-component hospital bed service unit comprising a pair of separate service pylons having electrical and lighting facilities therein; a wall-mountable support bracket, said bracket having an elongated back plate, a pair of horizontal shelf portions extending outwardly at predetermined horizontally spaced positions from said back plate, means for securing said plate gen erally horizontally against a wall, a connecting portion extending between said shelf portions, said connecting portion having a channel for receiving an electrical conduit extending between said shelf portions and pylons to provide electrical and lighting services in both of said service pylons; said shelf portions having means for supporting and securing said pylons on the tops thereof, each shelf portion supporting one of said pylons from beneath such that each pylon extends vertically upwardly adjacent the wall, said bracket having securing means for supporting and holding. said shelf portions and pylons in said predetermined horizontally spaced relationship on said back plate to receive the head of a bed therebetween and generally adjacent said back plate to enable a patient to use said electrical and lighting facilities whereby said back plate can be attached to said wall with said shelf portions secured in said horizontally spaced positions on said back plate, and said pylons thereafter individually set on and secured to said shelf portions.

7. A three-component service unit for hospital beds comprising a pair of separate, vertically elongated patient service pylons having electrical and lighting facilities therein and an elongated wall-mountable support bracket adapted to be secured generally horizontally on a wall; said bracket including an elongated, channellike back plate, means for securing said back plate to a wall, and a pair of shelf portions supporting said pylons and being secured in an opposing, spaced relationship along said bracket for receiving the head of at least one bed therebetween to enable use by a patient of said electrical and lighting facilities in said pylons; said shelf portions each having a mounting plate and support members extending outwardly from said mounting plate, said support members supporting said pylons on the tops thereof; means for securing said pylons to said support members such that said pylons extend upwardly therefrom; fastening means extending between said back and mounting plates for attaching said shelf portions to said back plate, said mounting plates and support members together being removably secured to said back plate with said fastening means to allow the spacing between said assembled shelf portions and pylons to be changed to accommodate beds of different width.

8. A three-component hospital bed service unit comprising a pair of separate, vertically elongated patient service pylons having electrical and lighting facilities therein and an elongated wall-mountable support bracket adapted to be secured generally horizontally on a wall; said bracket including a channel-like back plate having securing portions for engaging a wall surface and a rearward, wall-facing channel portion having a forwardly extending surface, said channel portion extending along said back plate, said securing and channel portions including a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, securing means received in said apertures in said securing portions for mounting said back plate on a wall, said bracket also having a pair of shelf portions for individually supporting said pylons and holding said pylons in a horizontally spaced relationship for receiving the head of a bed therebetween to enable a patient to use said electrical and lighting facilities, said shelf portions each including a mounting plate and support members extending outwardly from said mounting plate for supporting said pylons from beneath, said support members having flanges, saidpylons having portions on the underside thereof which mate with said flanges on said support members for securing said pylons on the tops of said support members, said mounting plates each having an offset portion mating with said forwardly extending surface of said channel portion on said back plate for locating said shelf portions on said back plate and securing means extending between said forwardly extending surface of said channel portion and said mounting plate for securing said shelf portion to said back plate whereby said back plate can be secured to said wall, said shelf portions secured to said back plate, and said pylons thereafter individually set atop and secured to said shelf portions. 

1. A three-component hospital bed service unit comprising a pair of separate service pylons having electrical and lighting facilities therein; a wall-mountable support bracket, said bracket having an elongated back plate, a pair of horizontal shelf portions extending outwardly at predetermined horizontally spaced positions from said back plate, and means for securing said plate generally horizontally against a wall, said shelf portions having means for supporting and securing said pylons on the tops thereof, each shelf portion supporting one of said pylons from beneath such that each pylon extends vertically upwardly adjacent the wall, said bracket having securing means for supporting and holding said shelf portions and pylons in said predetermined horizontally spaced relationship on said back plate to receive the head of a bed therebetween and generally adjacent said back plate to enable a patient to use said electrical and lighting facilities whereby said back plate can be attached to said wall with said shelf portions secured in said horizontally spaced positions on said back plate, and said pylons thereafter individually set on and secured to said shelf portions.
 2. A hospital bed service unit according to claim 1 wherein said back plate includes fastening means at spaced intervals therealong for securing said shelf portions at different horizontal positions along said back plate whereby said horizontal shelf portions are horizontally adjustable to accommodate therebetween at least one bed of different width.
 3. A hospital bed service unit according to claim 1 wherein said back plate and shelf portions include protective bumpers on the inner side surfaces thereof for protecting said pylons and said brackets from damage when a bed is urged between said pylons.
 4. A hospital bed service unit according to claim 1 wherein said pylons have a generally triangular horizontal cross-section and wherein said shelf portions have a configuration corresponding to said horizontal cross-section of said pylon.
 5. A hospital bed service unit according to claim 1 wherein said means for supporting and securing said pylons on the tops of said shelf portions include upwardly extending vertical flanges on said shelf portions which interfit between corresponding depending flanges on the underside of said pylons to provide a secure seating of said pylons on said shelf portions.
 6. A three-component hospital bed service unit comprising a pair of separate service pylons having electrical and lighting facilities therein; a wall-mountable support bracket, said bracket having an elongated back plate, a pair of horizontal shelf portions extending outwardly at predetermined horizontally spaced positions from said back plate, means for securing said plate generally horizontally against a wall, a connecting portion extending between said shelf portions, said connecting portion having a channel for receiving an electrical conduit extending between said shelf portions and pylons to provide electrical and lighting services in both of said service pylons; said shelf portions having means for supporting and securing said pylons on the tops thereof, each shelf portion supporting one of said pylons from beneath such that each pylon extends vertically upwardly adjacent the wall, said bracket having securing means for supporting and holding said shelf portions and pylons in said predetermined horizontally spaced relationship on said back plate to receive the head of a bed therebetween and generally adjacent said back plate to enable a patient to use said electrical and lighting facilities whereby said back plate can Be attached to said wall with said shelf portions secured in said horizontally spaced positions on said back plate, and said pylons thereafter individually set on and secured to said shelf portions.
 7. A three-component service unit for hospital beds comprising a pair of separate, vertically elongated patient service pylons having electrical and lighting facilities therein and an elongated wall-mountable support bracket adapted to be secured generally horizontally on a wall; said bracket including an elongated, channel-like back plate, means for securing said back plate to a wall, and a pair of shelf portions supporting said pylons and being secured in an opposing, spaced relationship along said bracket for receiving the head of at least one bed therebetween to enable use by a patient of said electrical and lighting facilities in said pylons; said shelf portions each having a mounting plate and support members extending outwardly from said mounting plate, said support members supporting said pylons on the tops thereof; means for securing said pylons to said support members such that said pylons extend upwardly therefrom; fastening means extending between said back and mounting plates for attaching said shelf portions to said back plate, said mounting plates and support members together being removably secured to said back plate with said fastening means to allow the spacing between said assembled shelf portions and pylons to be changed to accommodate beds of different width.
 8. A three-component hospital bed service unit comprising a pair of separate, vertically elongated patient service pylons having electrical and lighting facilities therein and an elongated wall-mountable support bracket adapted to be secured generally horizontally on a wall; said bracket including a channel-like back plate having securing portions for engaging a wall surface and a rearward, wall-facing channel portion having a forwardly extending surface, said channel portion extending along said back plate, said securing and channel portions including a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, securing means received in said apertures in said securing portions for mounting said back plate on a wall, said bracket also having a pair of shelf portions for individually supporting said pylons and holding said pylons in a horizontally spaced relationship for receiving the head of a bed therebetween to enable a patient to use said electrical and lighting facilities, said shelf portions each including a mounting plate and support members extending outwardly from said mounting plate for supporting said pylons from beneath, said support members having flanges, said pylons having portions on the underside thereof which mate with said flanges on said support members for securing said pylons on the tops of said support members, said mounting plates each having an offset portion mating with said forwardly extending surface of said channel portion on said back plate for locating said shelf portions on said back plate and securing means extending between said forwardly extending surface of said channel portion and said mounting plate for securing said shelf portion to said back plate whereby said back plate can be secured to said wall, said shelf portions secured to said back plate, and said pylons thereafter individually set atop and secured to said shelf portions. 